US Supreme Court denies Trump’s bid to halt sentencing in hush money case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday rejected President-elect Donald J. Trump’s emergency request to block his sentencing in a New York criminal case, clearing the way for the hearing to proceed on Friday.

In a brief, unsigned order, five justices — including Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Amy Coney Barrett, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson — denied Mr. Trump’s bid, noting that his lack of jail time and the opportunity for appeal made the request unwarranted. The majority concluded that the burden of the sentencing was “relatively insubstantial” given Mr. Trump’s responsibilities as president-elect.

Four conservative justices, Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Neil M. Gorsuch, and Brett M. Kavanaugh, dissented without explanation.

Mr. Trump’s sentencing follows his May conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to conceal hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels, a pornographic actress, during his 2016 campaign. Prosecutors argued that the payments were part of an effort to bury a potential scandal.

The president-elect has faced months of legal challenges, attempting to overturn the conviction and delay sentencing. His defense argued that sentencing him just days before his inauguration would impose an unconstitutional burden, citing presidential immunity. However, lower courts dismissed his claims as baseless, emphasizing that the case involved personal conduct unrelated to presidential duties.

Prosecutors urged the court to uphold the jury’s verdict, stating that the “sanctity of a jury verdict” must be respected. They pointed out that Mr. Trump had yet to formally appeal his conviction, making Supreme Court intervention premature.

At a news conference Thursday evening, Mr. Trump described the ruling as “fair” and confirmed his plans to appear virtually for the symbolic sentencing. Justice Juan Merchan is expected to impose an “unconditional discharge,” a lenient penalty avoiding jail or probation.

The Supreme Court’s decision signals an unexpected show of independence from justices who have previously ruled in Mr. Trump’s favor. Notably, concerns were raised this week after it was revealed that Mr. Trump had spoken with Justice Alito about a job reference.

With sentencing now imminent, Mr. Trump is poised to become the first convicted felon to assume the presidency, marking an unprecedented chapter in American political history.